20005 Assessment Report
Program:
Department:
Master of Accountancy
Accounting
Completed By:
Date:
Dennis Gaffney
May 31, 2005
Goal 1: Students will be able to apply accounting concepts and principles at an advanced level in the areas of financial
accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, and accounting information systems.
Outcomes
Direct Measures: Of
students in the MACC
capstone course, 85% will
score at least 60% on a
comprehensive test of
knowledge.
Direct Measures: The
percent of students who will
pass all parts of the CPA
examination will be equal to
the State average (18%).
Research Methods
Customized test was
designed in 2003; revised in
2004. Administered a
second time in spring 2005.
Findings
The results were below the
benchmark: only 71%
scored at least 60% on the
test.
Review
Areas of weakness are
identified and discussions
are in progress about where
improvements should be
made.
24 MACC students took the
CPA examination in 2003.
Results are published in
2004.
Out of 24 candidates, 17%
passed all 4 parts.
Performance is close to the
state average; areas of
weakness in students’
performance have been
identified by faculty.
Program: Master of Accountancy
Department: Accounting
Actions
Actions were deferred due
to a change in the
chairmanship of the
department (a new chair
was recruited in January
2005).
Curriculum review and
revision is underway during
summer 2005; faculty will
make recommendations for
improvements in the fall
2005 semester.
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20005 Assessment Report
Indirect Measures: MACC
graduates will rate the
MACC program’s teaching
and curriculum as
satisfactory or better.
Exit surveys were
conducted in 2003 and 2004
to assess satisfaction on
various criteria.
Program: Master of Accountancy
Department: Accounting
Ratings improved for
quality of teaching,
instructors, offering of a
global perspective, faculty
advising, and overall
satisfaction with the
program. Lowest ratings
were for interest in using
career services and for
quality of teaching in
elective courses.
Satisfaction was highest for
real-world instruction and
for enhancement of critical
thinking and presentation
skills.
Satisfaction ratings are
moderate to good but the
department chair must work
with faculty to continue to
improve in all areas
(including teaching quality
and student services).
Career services counselor is
assigned to work with
business and accounting
students and graduates.
Faculty development plans
must emphasize efforts to
improve and maintain high
standards for teaching.
Development of online
courses is underway.
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20005 Assessment Report
Goal 2: Students will be able to think critically.
Outcomes
Direct Measures: Quality
and frequency of
contributions to discussions
in the capstone course will
indicate critical thinking
ability.
Indirect Measures:
Graduates will rate the
MACC program’s
enhancement to their critical
thinking skills as
satisfactory or better.
Research Methods
Scoring rubric used to
assess critical thinking.
Exit surveys were
conducted in 2003 and 2004
to assess satisfaction on
various criteria including
critical thinking.
Program: Master of Accountancy
Department: Accounting
Findings
While all of the students
scored at a very satisfactory
level (A-), only 4 of 17
students earned an A
(exemplary level of critical
thinking).
Satisfaction rating was
consistently third-highest
among all ratings for 2003
and 2004.
Review
General quality of critical
thinking among MACC
students is high.
Actions
No special actions needed.
General quality of critical
thinking among MACC
students is high.
No special actions needed.
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20005 Assessment Report
Goal 3: Students will demonstrate effective oral presentation and writing skills.
Outcomes
Direct Measures: In onehour presentations in the
capstone course, each
student must demonstrate
acceptable levels of
technical and oral
presentation skills.
Direct Measures: Students
will be able to write on
complex accounting issues
and articulate opinions at an
acceptable level.
Indirect Measures:
Graduates will show
satisfaction with
communication skills taught
in the program.
Research Methods
Scoring rubric is used to
evaluate if the presentation
meets acceptable standards
in terms of various criteria
(e.g., organization, content,
etc.). A 90% is acceptable.
Assessment done in Spring
2005.
Scoring rubric used to
evaluate student essays on
their response to an
“exposure draft” titled
“Accounting Changes and
Error Corrections.”
Exit surveys in 2003 and
2004 assessed satisfaction
with how the MACC
program enhanced students’
presentation, writing, and
technical skills.
Program: Master of Accountancy
Department: Accounting
Findings
Only one out of 22 students
was rated unacceptable; all
of the remaining students’
presentations were assessed
and rated acceptable.
Review
General quality of oral
presentation skills among
MACC students is high.
Actions
No action needed.
75% were rated
“exemplary;” 25% as
“proficient.” None were
rated marginal or poor.
General quality of writing
skills among MACC
students is high.
No action needed.
Satisfaction rating for
presentation skills was
second-highest among all
ratings for 2004 and
satisfactory for remaining
attributes. Writing and
presentation skills improved
from 2003; technical skills
declined moderately.
Communication skills are
covered satisfactorily in the
MACC program; coverage
of technical skills (e.g.,
Powerpoint) must be
studied in relation to the
skills of the entering class.
Faculty will discuss these
issues in curriculum and
program reviews in the fall
2005.
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